


Frozen Lake

by SpaceBitch



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan, The Trials of Apollo - Rick Riordan
Genre: M/M, solangelo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-25
Updated: 2016-07-25
Packaged: 2018-07-26 13:43:09
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,143
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7576135
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpaceBitch/pseuds/SpaceBitch
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Solangelo Harry Potter AU that absolutely no one asked for but that we all deserve.<br/>FEAT: sick!Will, concerned!Nico, embarassed!Nico, Octavian getting some sweet allegorical punishment, some really dorky love letters, and Piper being the intimidating matchmaker we all knew she could be</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> NOTE: I started this like a year ago inspired by some random kylux hp au post and I don't even ship kylux but it was really cute so if anyone finds that post PLEASE let me know and I'll link to it :)

Nico accidentally let out a whoop of joy when the Hufflepuff Chaser scored a goal.

He looked around, but none of the other Slytherins seemed to notice. He knew he was supposed to be supporting Ravenclaws, since the more points Hufflepuff got, the harder they would be to beat in the House Cup (it was the closest Hufflepuff had been in decades to the cup—likely because of Seeker Piper McLean). But he couldn't help but root for his sort-of boyfriend, Will Solace.

They'd met at the end of Nico's 4th year, when a nasty experience with Inferi had landed him in the hospital wing, and Will, practicing to be a healer, had healed him back up (under Madam Pomfery's guidance.) After that, Will had become Nico’s closest friend—he’d always felt like an outsider before Will.

One week before the Ravenclaw vs. Hufflepuff game, when Nico was in his 5th year and Will his 6th, they’d been hanging out in the library when 6th year Hufflepuff Piper had come up behind Nico and smacked him in the head.

“Ow,” Nico said, instinctively looking for Will for backup, but he’d already disappeared around the corner to go to the bathroom. Nico suspected this was deliberate on Piper’s part, and it made him a little nervous. “What was that for?!”

“Just trying to knock some sense into you. Did it work?”

Piper made him inexplicably uneasy. Her reputation preceded her—she was the most notorious matchmaker in school. When she set two people up, they always got together. And stayed together.

If Nico didn’t know for a fact you can’t magic love, he would swear Piper did.

“I—I don’t really know what you’re talking about.”

Additionally, Piper’s mom was part veela and her dad was apparently some gorgeous muggle movie star. Even being gay, he was a little dazzled by her beauty. He couldn’t imagine how straight people felt. No wonder people listened to her.

She sighed. “Guess not. Look, I know what people say about me. But I’m not a matchmaker, and I definitely don’t use magic to ‘make’ people fall in love with each other. My only skill is this; I see potential. I have intuition. I can look at two people and see the chemistry, and see exactly how they feel. All I do is make people aware of it.”

“You know how people feel better than they do?” Nico was skeptical.

She shrugged. “Sometimes. It’s the truth—and here’s what I know about you and Will. He likes you, and you like him. You’re scared though, which is not uncommon. A lot of people are scared to let others in, especially people who’ve been hurt like you have. But I know for a _fact_ you’d be good together. He would make you happy, and whether or not you think so, you deserve to be happy.” She stood. “So does Will. You’d make _him_ happy too. But he won’t make the first move, because he’s scared of pushing you away. It has to be you. _You_ have to decide you deserve to be happy.”

Nico only managed to stutter, “I’ve never even—did Hazel—?”

“Tell me that you’re gay?” she supplemented. “No. I’ve known. I knew you had a crush on Percy, but I saw when you found Will, you got over him. And you’re not afraid Hazel and the others won’t accept you—you know they love you too much. So what is it?”

Before he could answer, she left. His head was absolutely spinning when Will got back. He’d always thought of Ravenclaws as the clever house, but at that moment, Nico wondered if Piper was the smartest witch he knew.

“Are you okay?” Will asked as he sat down. Nico nodded mutely.

After a silent moment, Nico began packing his things. “I have to go,” he blurted.

“Where?” Will asked, adorable concern lacing his eyes.

 _Anywhere but here_ , Nico thought. _Anywhere but next to you_.

“I don’t know,” he said. “It’s just stuffy in here, you know? I need to clear my head—”

“A walk! That’s a great idea, I’ll—”

“Alone,” Nico finished firmly.

“Oh.” Will sagged awkwardly. Nico made a beeline for the door, but stopped halfway there.

Piper’s earlier question echoed in his head. _What am I afraid of?_ He looked back at Will, who was still standing. _I am_ not _afraid of Will_.

He didn’t let himself think about it.

He sprinted back to Will and planted a quick kiss. He didn’t wait for Will’s reaction as he ran back out. He kept running until he reached an empty classroom.

Nico slid down the wall, trying to slow his breathing, slow his racing thoughts. After a moment, a giddy smile appeared, then a near-delirious laugh swelled in his lungs. He put his face in his hands, unable to suppress the sudden lightness in his chest, unable to remember the last time he felt this happy.

 _I just kissed Will Solace_ , he thought dizzily. _And… ran away immediately_ , he promptly realized.

He let that thought settle, then somehow managed to avoid Will completely until breakfast the next day.

Will strode over to the Slytherin table and wedged himself between Hazel and Nico before he could even react.

Will shifted his body to face Nico. “What the hell.” It was more of a statement that a question. Nico began squirming, trying to think of something to say, but it turned out he didn’t need to. Will came prepared to talk.

“What the hell, really. I’ve liked you for months, Nico. _Months_. And I did not think I was being very subtle about it, either, even knowing you’re not great at picking up social cues. I thought, ‘Okay, he doesn’t like me. Fine.’

And then you _kiss me_ , out of the blue, and promptly run away like I’ve got black cat fever or something. So now, all I really have to say is, what the hell?”

This one was a question, meaning it was time for Nico to speak. At first he thought he didn’t know what to say, but then he realized that the only thing he could say was the truth.

So he took a deep breath, maintained eye contact, and spoke in a voice so quiet it was like they were the only two people in the world. “I’m just. Scared. Of how much I like you. And maybe… a little scared I’m not good enough for you. So. I ran.”

Will’s look softened, and he looked at Nico like that for a good few seconds, before he threw his arms around Nico’s neck. Physical affection had always felt uncomfortable and alien to him, but somehow, Will felt like home.

“Do you even know how hard I’ve fallen for you?” Will whispered in Nico’s ear. He gripped Will tighter.

Fast forward one week to the big match between Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw, and Nico was cheering for his sort-of-boyfriend Chaser. It was a pretty far distance to be sure, but Nico was fairly certain Will winked at him. He blushed, raising his scarf on the pretense of being cold.

They were taking it slow, to the point where Nico felt like they were both walking on a frozen lake, desperately trying to stay dry but also so tempted to just dive in. Nico had no previous experience to base the appropriate pacing on, and he didn’t think Will did either, so they continued this agonizing slow crawl.

The only things he knew were: 1) he was absurdly happy, and 2) he couldn’t take his eyes off Will.

Apparently the feeling was mutual, because Nico caught Will's eyes for a split second before a bludger collided with his skull.

The world slowed down, and Nico was on his feet, wand ready while Will was smacked backward into a goalpost. Nico tried, but he couldn't think of a single spell, couldn't think of anything at all, as Will tumbled down, down—

He stopped suddenly, as if he'd landed on a bed of air. He lowered slowly to the ground, Madam Hooch hovering over him with her wand. She yelled something, possibly "Foul," but Nico couldn't really hear her over the blood rushing in his head.

He was hardly aware he was running until he’d already reached the end of the bleachers, and by the time he was on the field Will was already being rolled away on a stretcher.

"Will! WILL!"

"He's unconscious, Mr. DiAngelo," Madam Hooch said and Madam Pomfrey began moving the stretcher. "Madam Pomfrey is taking him to the hospital wing."

"I'm coming." His face must have left little room for debate, because Madam Pomfrey simply nodded and rushed off the field. Nico walked a few feet to the side, not wanting to bother Madam Pomfrey, and looked at Will.

He was totally unconscious, face covered in blood with a giant lump already forming on his head, but the rest of his body wasn't in great shape either. There were bones sticking in directions bones weren't meant to be sticking.

So Nico stopped looking at Will and instead stared straight ahead. He would be fine, of course. Madam Pomfrey had healed worse. He wasn't even awake to feel the pain. He would be fine.

They were at the infirmary before Nico even realized, and Madam Pomfrey turned to Nico at the door.

"Wait here."

He couldn't argue, so he slid to the bench outside and waited, trying really hard not to think about what was being done to his sort-of-boyfriend. Nico was bad luck. He had to be. Piper told him not to be afraid, and this was where it got them.

No, best to focus on tangible things. Like who sent that bludger at Will.

Nico clenched his hands into fists around his robe. Oh, he knew who it was. He knew exactly who did this to Will.

Eventually Madam Pomfrey came back out. "He had a mild concussion, visually very nasty but not medically very serious. He also broke his arm and multiple ribs, which I have set. I've given him sleeping draught in order to help with the worst of the pain and for his head to begin healing. He won't wake up for a while, but when he does he will likely still have some lingering concussive symptoms."

Madam Pomfrey had such a strange lexicon for a witch, but Nico trusted she knew what she was talking about. He nodded and stepped into the room. It was empty except for Will's bed, and Nico pulled up a chair.

"He won't wake up tonight, and he's in good hands. You can come back tomorrow, if you'd like."

Nico understood that, but it didn't feel right just to leave Will. So he tenderly took Will's hand and brushed his hair out of his eyes. There was a clean bandage over his head, and without the blood Will looked rather peaceful. Nico remembered when Will had force-fed him sleeping draught. It was the deepest, most peaceful sleep he'd ever had, and he'd woken up to Will's concerned face. Nico squeezed Will's hand, determined to return the favor.

The door burst open, and the entire Hufflepuff quidditch team walked in.

"How is he? Is he okay?"

"He's fine," Nico said, letting his hand drop from Will's. "Just sleeping. It was a concussion, and a broken arm and ribs. He'll be fine, but he won't wake up till morning."

"Well, we should leave him something. Flowers, maybe," said the Keeper.

"Good idea. What do you guys think--"

Piper was interrupted by the sound of the door slamming open.

Nico clutched the bedding and turned his back to the door, not wanting to look.

Octavian, the World's Shittiest Beater.

He strolled in, presumably with a sneer on his face. "I just came to pay my respects," he said mockingly. “It's a true tragedy what happened, a horrible accident—"

Before Nico knew he was doing it, he pointed his wand at Octavian and whispered, "Incendio."

Octavian's cloak burst into flames.

He was screaming, unable to put it out and struggling with the sleeves, and within seconds Madam Pomfrey had burst from her office and doused the flames. She pulled him to a partitioned bed, where his whimpers could be clearly heard from Will's bed. Nico could feel the Hufflepuffs' eyes on him, but he refused to take his eyes off of Will.

After Octavian's initial treatment was over, Madam Pomfrey came out of his partition and stormed over to Will's bed. 

"Who did this? Which of you set the boy on fire?"

Nico waited for them to immediately point at him, but they didn't. He looked at their faces, and none showed signs of wanting to share.

Madam Pomfrey then ripped them all a new one about how pranks like this were cruel, not funny, and not revenge, etc., until she tired herself out. When she was done, all the Hufflepuffs left to get Will his get-well flowers. Around noon, Piper brought Nico some food, and watched him while he ate it.

People frequently stopped by, and Nico just told all of them that Will was fine but wouldn't be waking up soon.

Eventually it was dinnertime, and Madam Pomfrey insisted Nico leave. She said visiting hours were over.

Nico didn't want Will to wake up without him, so he left a quick note:

_"hey Will. if you're up, congrats! Hufflepuffs won, even with their best chaser out cold._

_wake up soon. seriously. I am dying of boredom just watching you sleep. that sounded creepy, but it's not. I don't think. I'm going to stop now, but I'll be back soon. :)_

_-n"_

Nico groaned and left the note, praying he would be back before Will woke up.


	2. Chapter 2

Nico woke up much later than he'd wanted to the next day, almost missing breakfast. He didn't really feel like eating, but he knew Piper would get mad at him if he didn't, so he grabbed a quick bagel and headed to the infirmary.

It was chaos.

There were maybe five students in beds besides Will, at least three nurses, multiple guests, and the nurses and Madam Pomfrey were running around, trying to control the scene.

All the students in bed looked sweaty and ill. Including Will.

Nico rushed over to Piper, who was inspecting some quill. "Black cat fever," she said, placing the quill on the nightstand. "It hit last night after dinner, not sure where it came from. Before Madam Pomfrey could control the infectiousness, Will got sick. He'll be fine, he's just gonna have to wait it out."

Black cat fever wasn't a big deal if it was caught early, and Nico knew that. Still, he felt inexplicably worried for Will. The flowers and candy on the nightstand made him smile, though.

"Let Madam Pomfrey immunize you. I was just staying until you got here." She winked at him and left. She still made him uneasy, but it was more out of intimidation. 

Madam Pomfrey came over and made him drink some potion, muttering something about "wizards not taking vaccine draughts anymore."

Nico managed to shove the embarrassing letter in the nightstand drawer just as Will woke up.

"Hey," Nico said softly, taking Will's hand. "How are you feeling?"

Will tried to focus his eyes on Nico, but his gaze never quite sharpened. "Nico."

"Hi."

He blinked a couple times, before asking, "Where am I?" His words were sluggish.

"The infirmary. You were hit by a bludger, do you remember?"

He nodded. "Bludger. That makes sense. Concussion, probably? Broken arm, how many ribs?"

Nico nodded. "Correct. Two ribs."

Will nodded. "S'what I thought. But why do I feel so... _blegh?_ "

"You caught black cat fever."

Will immediately withdrew his hand, which stung Nico a little. Even if they were sweaty.

"Black cat fever is super contagious. You shouldn't even be near—"

"Madam Pomfrey gave me something to drink. Said I couldn't catch it."

Will looked at Nico warily. "You sure?"

"Even if I wasn't, I would still be here. Time for you to be the patient and let other people take care of you."

Will gave Nico a weird look before Madam Pomfrey rushed over, chastising Nico for not calling her over the moment Will woke up.

Will’s weak attention span shifted back to Madam Pomfrey while she did her checkups, but she was distracted again in a moment by some newly sick students entering the infirmary.

She turned to Nico. “Since you are obviously not going to leave his side, you can take care of Will while the infirmary is so busy. Katie!”

Katie Gardner, another Hufflepuff, rushed over.

“Tell Nico how to take care of black cat.” With that, Madam Pomfrey was off.

Katie began patiently explaining how much draught to give at what hours of the day and what to do if this or that happened, etc., all the while a dazed and sweaty Will tugged on her long hair. Eventually, Katie excused herself to take care of one of the Stoll brothers that was loudly demanding for her, and Nico nodded, pretending like he remembered everything.

Will turned to him, too much affection in his eyes for him to be fully present.

“I don’t know if it’s the concussion or fever,” Will announced, “but I think you might be glowing.”

With this, Will reached up to Nico’s head as if feeling for an invisible halo, his hand coming to frame Nico’s cheek. Despite the tightness in his chest, Nico softly removed Will’s hand, continuing to hold it, and leaned in.

“Definitely the concussion,” he whispered.

Sudden hesitation flashed in Will’s eyes. “You’re sure you can’t catch it? No matter what?”

“Yes,” Nico laughed.

“Then can you kiss me?”

It was a request, and a soft one, and it twisted Nico’s heart that much further.

He leaned down and kissed Will softly, and it wasn’t the most romantic or exciting kiss but it somehow comforted Nico. It said, _I’m here for you_. He only hoped Will got the message.

If the adoring look in his eyes was any indication, he did.

“You know,” he said, eyes drooping, “you are not nearly as grumpy as you pretend to be.”

Before Nico could come up with some indignant retort, Will had already drifted off. Nico watched him for only a moment before he dropped his head to Will’s chest.

 _He is so adorable_ , Nico thought. _I am totally screwed_.

 

 

*          *          *          *          *

 

 

The infirmary was still pure chaos by lunch, so when Piper offered to take over Watch Will Sleep duty, this time Nico accepted, but not without leaving a little note that said,

 

_“get better soon dork it’s so boring without you to entertain me_

_-n”_

 

He left to eat lunch and pretend to do his Potions homework, and when he came back, Will was still sleeping and Piper was still waiting. She stood up and wordlessly handed the note to Nico with an infuriating smirk on, and he thrust the note into the nightstand, embarrassed. The slamming unintentionally woke Will up, but he couldn’t bring himself to apologize when Will smiled at him like that.

Will slept a lot throughout the next few days, and Nico left him a lot of notes, especially as class started up again. Every time Will woke up he was dazed and confused, so Nico wanted him to always have something to focus on when he woke up.

The more Nico started to miss his best friend’s snappy comebacks and Potions help, the sappier the notes got. Usually Nico would just thrust them into the drawer, resolving to throw them all away later but always getting distracted.

The notes stopped actually being for Will (since he literally never got up in time to read them anyway) and started being more of a therapeutic sort of journal for Nico. On what Madam Pomfrey predicted to be Will’s last day, just before Defense Against the Dark Arts, Nico left his longest note yet.

 

 _“ok. this is getting ridiculous. these stupid notes. it’s not the same. I miss talking to you, not through a note that you’ll never read, not surrounded by a bunch of nosy, bored, sweaty people, not through a potion-induced haze. I miss you a lot, ok?? I can’t wait for you to get the hell out of here. I can’t wait to_ _actually_ _kiss you. I mean, I know you’re going stir-crazy in here, but it’s almost as bad for me, since you’re my only friend. I practically never go outside anymore. I haven’t sat under our tree since you first got hit by that bludger, did you know that?_

_why am I writing to you like an army wife who’s lover died in the war? You’re sitting right here. you’re drooling. it’s really cute, and also kind of gross. god, your face is all squished on the pillow. I hate you, a lot. I hate your stupid bedhead and your freckles that are so much darker since you haven’t seen the sun in ages. you also haven’t showered in like forever. you should be so gross. conceptually, I guess you kind of are, but you look really cute right now, and I hate you for it._

_why did I even write this charles-dickens-length note in the first place? you’re not even going to read it. well. I’ll be in class, jealous of your unconscious ass._

_-n”_

 

Nico didn’t even reread it, because if he had, the mere possibility of Will ever reading it would almost certainly have driven him to incinerate it immediately, but the bell rang just as he finished up, and he left the note on the dresser, forgotten, as he kissed Will’s forehead goodbye, like he had every other day.

He didn’t notice Will stirring when he closed the door behind him.

 

 

              *            *            *            *            *

 

 

Nico trudged to the infirmary, prepared for another few hours of boredom before finally, Will could leave, when—

 _Oh. Shit_.

Will was awake. Worse than that, he was awake, reading not just Nico’s latest letter, but with _all_ of his notes, dug out of the nightstand, littered all over Will’s bed.

An absolutely insufferable smirk was on Will’s face. Nico flung himself at Will, totally unsure of hat he would do when he got there.

“Nico!” Will chirped, the clearest he’d been in days. _Now_ he would be clear-minded. _Now_ his memory would be flawless.

“No—you can’t—I didn’t—”

“Nico,” Will repeated, in Concerned Mode, “it’s okay. You’re—”

“No, I—I didn’t mean—”

“Didn’t mean what? For me to read the notes you left me?”

Will face was patient, but his words still made Nico feel stupid. “Well, I mean—you never—”

He breathed in. _One sentence. Just get out one full sentence._

“Nico,” Will cut him off, framing his face in Will’s hands. His glorious, non-sweaty hands. “What’s wrong? What did you say that has you so scared? Did you say something you didn’t mean?”

Nico looked at Will for a moment longer, knowing he would regret it yet still whispering, “I meant all of it.”

He meant it. That was why he was so scared.

Will’s face told Nico he understood exactly.

Will crashed to his feet, legs unsteady after so many days of disuse, and crashed his mouth to Nico’s.

This was the kind of kiss he’d been missing. This hands groping cheeks, hair, necks, desperately trying to grab on; desperately breathing each other’s air, gasping for more and going back in again and again and again—

Eventually Will needed to breathe. He pulled away, panting, gripping Nico’s shirt. Nico’s heart pounded; he realized he had never kissed Will _quite_ like that. It had always been tiptoeing across the frozen lake.

Will collapsed back onto the bed again, laughing.

“What?” Nico huffed, still not totally recovered.

“I was just thinking what I should call you when people asked. Initially, I thought 'boyfriend'—”

Nico gasped, almost inaudibly. Will ignored him and continued, “But then I thought maybe ‘Army Wife’ would be more appropriate. And then I—” more laughter, “could be your ‘Dead Lover.’ What do you think?”

Nico was confused for a split second, before remembering the letter. He shoved his face into his hands, muttering a muffled, “Oh my god.”

Will laughed again, wrapping his arms around an incredibly embarrassed Nico. “You’re right. I think ‘boyfriend’ works much better.”

“How am I supposed to call you my boyfriend if I can’t even look at you?” Nico mumbled into Will’s shoulder.

“Oh, please. What did you even say that was so embarrassing? ‘I miss you’? ‘You’re cute’? Well, why don’t I even the playing field, right here and now. I missed you too, di Angelo, and you are also unbearably adorable. Happy? Can we move on?”

Nico took a deep breath, and kissed Will by way of an answer.

 

**Author's Note:**

> This was surprisingly fun and I now have way more harry potter pjo headcanons than I know what to do with


End file.
